ABSTRACT
Introduction Health care spending accounts for approximately one-quarter of total state expenditures and represents the fastest-growing component of state spending as well as the greatest long-run fiscal challenge facing state governments (U.S. Government Accountability Office 2008). States, on average, now spend more on health care than on K-12 education, higher education, corrections, transportation, or any other program. Within state health care expenditures, the single largest component is health care for low-income persons provided through two programs: Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Together, these two programs account for more than three-quarters of total state health care expenditures. The remainder is comprised of spending on public hospitals and health clinics,
Contents Introduction ......................................................................................................197 Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) .......................198 Growth of Medicaid Spending ..........................................................................202 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 ......................................... 204 Conclusion ........................................................................................................207 References ........................................................................................................ 208
health-related inspection and regulation, and a variety of smaller programs related to public health.* Medicare, the program that guarantees access to health insurance for persons aged 65 and older and younger people with disabilities, is financed by the federal government and thus does not impact state budgets.
